The present invention relates in general to an inner housing for use with an electrical connector. More specifically, this invention relates to an inner housing that allows a cavity of an electrical connector to hold multiple electrical terminals.
Vehicles, such as passenger cars, include a variety of electrical components that are provided for the operation of the vehicle, as well as for the comfort and convenience of occupants. The vehicle includes electrical connections to provide power and control signals for these electrical components. These electrical connections include wires, terminals, and connectors that house the terminals.
As technology has advanced, vehicles include a larger number of electrical components. As a result, vehicles require more electrical connections. This can include connections for providing power, as well as connections for providing control signals. Additionally, as electrical components become more efficient, they can be powered using smaller electrical connections. Also, the electrical connections used for control signals are typically lower power than power connections. As a result, vehicles have an increasing need for a larger number of smaller electrical connections.
The parts of vehicle electrical connections, including the terminals and housings, are tested and approved by manufacturers before being used on a vehicle. These components are typically specified for use on a vehicle model over several years. When a component is changed, it is tested to determine that it meets the manufacturer's requirements as well as to obtain any pertinent certification, which can add cost and delay to the manufacturing process. As a result, it can be desirable to the manufacturer to continue to use components that are already proven. It would be advantageous to use existing electrical components, while increasing the number of electrical connections that are made with those components.